Seven performances only! From Thursday, May 7 to Saturday, May 23, 2026 – The Canadian Opera Company (COC) presents a new production of Werther, the story of a young man’s romantic infatuation and the spiral of despair that consumes him when that love is denied. Presented as a co-production with Opéra de Montréal & Vancouver Opera at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.
A sumptuous score, delving into tortured passions & a desperate decision
The young poet Werther falls in love with Charlotte, the eldest daughter of a widowed bailiff. Although attracted to Werther, Charlotte is bound by a promise made to her dying mother that she would marry Albert, and her sense of duty to her family prevents her from breaking off the engagement. Overwhelmed by the prospect of life without her, Werther makes a shocking and fateful decision. Read the full synopsis here.
Composer Jules Massenet’s sumptuous score delves into the tortured passions of a young mind while shining a light on the social conventions he rejects, as well as those whose lives are forever altered by his desperate final act.
A rare operatic gem, presented by three of Canada’s leading opera companies
A rare operatic gem from one of French opera’s great composers, this all-new production of Werther – co-produced in the spirit of local creative collaboration by three of the country’s leading opera companies – is this opera’s first COC appearance in 30 years. Alain Gauthier directs, with COC Music Director Johannes Debus conducting the COC Orchestra.
Following his starring role in the COC’s “revolutionary” (The Wall Street Journal) Otello in 2019, American tenor Russell Thomas returns to Toronto as the sensitive title poet. Mezzo-soprano Victoria Karkacheva debuts on the COC mainstage as Charlotte, whose affection for Werther cannot overthrow her engagement to another. Notable Ensemble Studio alumni, bass-baritone Gordon Bintner and soprano Simone Osborne, also star – as Charlotte’s fiancé, Albert, and her sister, Sophie – alongside bass Alain Coulombe and tenor Michael Colvin as Werther’s friends, Johann and Schmidt. Rounding out the cast are bass Robert Pomakov, baritone Ben Wallace and soprano Emma Pennell, plus the Canadian Children’s Opera Company.
This opera is roughly based on the epistolary novel (written as a series of letters) The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The performance will be sung in French, with English and French SURTITLES.TM
“In curating our 2025/2026 mainstage season, we have put great thought into programming a lineup that offers a variety of entry points and layers of engagement with the art form so that there are just as many thrilling experiences to be had for a seasoned subscriber as there are for anyone making their very first visit in 25/26. It’s going to be a terrific year to join us at the opera house.”
– David C. Ferguson, COC General Director
About the Canadian Opera Company (COC)
Based in Toronto, the Canadian Opera Company is the largest producer of opera in Canada and one of the largest in North America. The COC enjoys a loyal audience, including a dedicated base of subscribers, and has an international reputation for artistic excellence and creative innovation. Its diverse repertoire includes new commissions and productions, local and international collaborations with leading opera companies and festivals – and attracts the world’s foremost Canadian and international artists. The company is an incubator for the future of the art form, nurturing Canada’s new wave of opera performers and creators with customized training and support. The COC’s purpose-built opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, is hailed internationally as one of the finest in the world. Read more about their history here.
About Opéra de Montréal
Since 1980, the Opéra de Montréal (OdM) has been creating cutting-edge opera at the heart of its city. Its Atelier lyrique program (founded in 1984) trains the next generation of homegrown opera artists. The OdM builds connections with local artists and explores contemporary stories, giving voice to the realities of today’s society with accessible and socially engaged works. As both a social and cultural centre, the OdM shapes the creators of tomorrow; and its Social Impact and Education department works closely with local communities on a growing number of innovative and inclusive projects. Since 2004, the CoOpéra program has been reaching hundreds of students every year, introducing them to opera through the process of creation. The Opéra de Montréal pushes the boundaries of traditional opera, cultivating a bold and vibrant art form deeply rooted in modern life. Read more about them here.
About Vancouver Opera
Founded in 1958, Vancouver Opera is the second largest opera company in Canada. It is regarded worldwide for its fine mainstage productions; for its country-leading education programs, which have reached more than 1.6 million children and their families in more than 50 years; for its innovative and award-winning community programs; and for forging groundbreaking cross-cultural creative partnerships that have brought opera to new generations of Canadians in recent history. Read more about them and their history here.
(Photo credits: The Canadian Opera Company | Opéra de Montréal | Vancouver Opera.)
Event details
Presented by: The Canadian Opera Company, in co-production with Opéra de Montréal & Vancouver Opera
Type of event: opera performance
Composed by: Jules Massenet, roughly based on the epistolary novel The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Directed by: Alain Gauthier
Conducted by: Johannes Debus, conducting the COC Orchestra
Cast: Russell Thomas, Victoria Karkacheva, Simone Osborne, Gordon Bintner, Robert Pomakov, Michael Colvin, Alain Coulombe, Ben Wallace & Emma Pennell, with the Canadian Children’s Opera Company
Dates & times: The production runs from Thursday, May 7 – Saturday, May 23, 2026 – with 7 performances on select dates:
- Thursday, May 7 @ 7:30 PM ET
- Saturday, May 9 @ 7:30 PM ET
- Wednesday, May 13 @ 7:30 PM ET
- Friday, May 15 @ 7:30 PM ET
- Sunday, May 17 @ 2:00 PM ET
- Tuesday, May 19 @ 7:30 PM ET
- Saturday, May 23 @ 4:30 PM ET
Duration: approx. 2 hours & 20 minutes (incl. 1 intermission)
Cost: Tickets start at C$45.00. All ticket prices include HST and a C$4.50 Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts maintenance surcharge. Phone and online orders are subject to a per-ticket service charge. Ways to save include:
- Rush tickets: Subject to availability. Available for purchase online at coc.ca from 4:00 PM ET for evening performances and from noon for matinees. Full details here.
- Opera Under 30: A C$28.00 Opera Under 30 ticket gets you a great night out in their jewel of a venue and an unforgettable live performance. A C$35.00 Opera Under 30 Plus ticket offers the chance to have your seats upgraded for free if there is availability the night of your performance. Full details & availability here.
- Arts worker tickets: C$30.00 – full details here.
- Standing room tickets: C$15.00 (60 available for each performance). Full details here.
- Group sales: Groups of 10 or more save up to 25%. Full details here.
Location: Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. West, Toronto, ON, M5H 4G1
Booking link: Book your tickets here. Limited wheelchair seating is available at the Four Seasons Centre. Phone COC Ticket Services at (416) 363-8231 to arrange seating. Wheelchair seating must be arranged at the time of ticket purchase and cannot be accommodated on the day of the performance.
Contact details: Canadian Opera Company, 227 Front St. E., Toronto, ON, M5A 1E8, Canada; Box office: (416) 363-8231 | 1-800-250-4653, info@coc.ca, coc.ca
Content warning: Suicide.
Accessibility: Limited wheelchair seating is available at the Four Seasons Centre. Phone COC Ticket Services at (416) 363-8231 to arrange seating. Wheelchair seating must be arranged at the time of ticket purchase and cannot be accommodated on the day of the performance. Full accessibility info here.
Refund policy: All sales are final. All ticket sales and exchanges will be processed at the published prices at the time of the order or exchange. Full exchange policy info here.